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86 HEROES OF THE ARGONNE
1:50 o'clock Colonel Walker sent word to the two regimental commanders that General Traub had taken up the matter of artillery support and that they could be promised it
within a short time.
The 138th Infantry, like 137th Infantry, lay during
the day under fire. The regiment was in support of 140th
Infantry and when its advance was checked it was held
up also.
Each time during the day when the Thirty-fifth had
attempted to go forward it had been in the face of what
seemed insurmountable difficulties. Not only was the terrain unfavorable with its many small ravines, its wooded
patches, its hollows and its hills, but the artificial defenses of Hagen Stellung and Volker Stellung stretched
themselves like a concrete rib across their pathway. Although in retreat, the German artillery had lost none of
its effectiveness. American airplanes politely withdrew
when observations were sought by enemy aircraft, and
machine guns hung behind every natural and artificial
defense that was in gunning distance.
The machine guns were manned largely by members
of the First Guard Division. It may be that there were
troops in the German army that were fond of surrendering. This class, by lip proof from the doughboy, was not.
At 5:30 o'clock in the afternoon a new attack was
launched. Nine more tanks were sent lumbering toward the
front along the Very-Charpentry road, and, aided with
these and those already on the first line, better results
were anticipated.
During the day's fighting Major Clark, in command
of the First Battalion of the 139th Infantry, had been
wounded while charging a machine gun nest and had been
replaced by Captain Williamson, Company D. Lieutenant
Brown, adjutant of 139th Infantry, had also fallen in the
morning attack.
Before the advance could be made it was found a
considerable amount of reorganization was necessary.
Straightening out his units the best he could, Colonel Ristine led his men into an attack against Charpentry and
Baulny.
There was no artillery protection, speaking in a sense
that term infers. A gun would bellow now and then, presumably from the battery near Cheppy, but there was no
concentration of fire or nothing to serve as a screen
against the enemy. The men, tired after two days of
fighting, struck into the full current of artillery and machine gun fire. The 140th Infantry, advancing on the
right, fell in behind the tanks for protection, but the men
of 139th and 137th Infantry charged the machine gun

86 HEROES OF THE ARGONNE
1:50 o'clock Colonel Walker sent word to the two regimental commanders that General Traub had taken up the matter of artillery support and that they could be promised it
within a short time.
The 138th Infantry, like 137th Infantry, lay during
the day under fire. The regiment was in support of 140th
Infantry and when its advance was checked it was held
up also.
Each time during the day when the Thirty-fifth had
attempted to go forward it had been in the face of what
seemed insurmountable difficulties. Not only was the terrain unfavorable with its many small ravines, its wooded
patches, its hollows and its hills, but the artificial defenses of Hagen Stellung and Volker Stellung stretched
themselves like a concrete rib across their pathway. Although in retreat, the German artillery had lost none of
its effectiveness. American airplanes politely withdrew
when observations were sought by enemy aircraft, and
machine guns hung behind every natural and artificial
defense that was in gunning distance.
The machine guns were manned largely by members
of the First Guard Division. It may be that there were
troops in the German army that were fond of surrendering. This class, by lip proof from the doughboy, was not.
At 5:30 o'clock in the afternoon a new attack was
launched. Nine more tanks were sent lumbering toward the
front along the Very-Charpentry road, and, aided with
these and those already on the first line, better results
were anticipated.
During the day's fighting Major Clark, in command
of the First Battalion of the 139th Infantry, had been
wounded while charging a machine gun nest and had been
replaced by Captain Williamson, Company D. Lieutenant
Brown, adjutant of 139th Infantry, had also fallen in the
morning attack.
Before the advance could be made it was found a
considerable amount of reorganization was necessary.
Straightening out his units the best he could, Colonel Ristine led his men into an attack against Charpentry and
Baulny.
There was no artillery protection, speaking in a sense
that term infers. A gun would bellow now and then, presumably from the battery near Cheppy, but there was no
concentration of fire or nothing to serve as a screen
against the enemy. The men, tired after two days of
fighting, struck into the full current of artillery and machine gun fire. The 140th Infantry, advancing on the
right, fell in behind the tanks for protection, but the men
of 139th and 137th Infantry charged the machine gun